Comparison

iBFDmonochrome vs Virtual Dashboard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iBFDmonochrome

This app provides pilots with a backup flight display, including an attitude indicator, heading indicator, and altimeter. It can also function as a flight data and cockpit voice recorder, offering essential information in emergencies when primary instruments fail.

Highlights
  • Attitude Indicator
  • Heading Indicator
  • Altimeter
  • Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
  • Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
  • Map with airport information
  • Multiple display color modes
Features
Read full description

integrated Backup Flight Display (iBFD) Real pilots understand the risk of a primary flight instrument failure while flying. In certain situations the loss of the Attitude Indicator is perhaps the greatest risk a pilot can face. This iPhone based integrated Backup Flight Display (iBFD) is an inexpensive, easy to operate tool intended to reduce risk and improve safety if an instrument fails and no other backup is available. This application consists of an Attitude Indicator, Heading Indicator, Altimeter, Vertical Speed Indicator, speed Indicator, Side Slip Indicator, and Clock. Furthermore, in the portrait mode of the iPad, a Map is displayed below the Attitude Indicator, and when you enter an airport code such as KFTW, the direction and distance to the airport are displayed. It can also be used as Flight Data Recorder(FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder(CVR). This function is activated by touching the red circle in the upper left corner. Recording is stopped by touching the red circle again or it will be stopped automatically when large G is applied. iBFD uses the iPhone's 3 axis Gyro sensor as its primary sensor. Pitch and Roll angles are calculated using the Gyro data and the same algorithm as strap down Inertial Reference Systems (IRS). GPS and Accelerometer are used with Kalman filter as sensor fusion to prevent gyro drift and improve Accuracy. The iBFD performs noticeably better than other comparable applications on the market. Unfortunately the iBFD doesn't have FAA certification. It doesn't have enough reliability for use as Primary Flight Instruments, and neither our software nor your iPhone have been subjected to rigorous certification tests. And the accuracy of Map and Airport Information is not guaranteed. All information displayed on the iBFD is for reference only! Therefore, we are not responsible for any death, injury or damage as a result of using the iBFD. USE THIS DEVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK! Nevertheless, during an In Flight Emergency having an iBFD is far better than having no instrument at all. Particularly if in a limited visibility situation with an inoperative Attitude Indicator. Engine vibration can affect accuracy of the iBFD, so special consideration must be given to mounting the iPhone to the cockpit instrument panel or glare shield. Other features (1) There are three display color modes; Day, Night or NVC. (2) Altitude/Speed is selectable in units of feet/knots, feet/MPH or meter/kilometers per hour. (3) Airspeed is calculated using GPS Speed, Wind Direction, and Wind Velocity. Wind Direction and Velocity are obtained via ATIS and set manually. (4) Pitch angle zero can be adjusted manually by touching center of the display or slider setting. (5) Magnetic Heading or True Heading, and GPS or M.S.(Magnetic Sensor) are selectable. (6) Settings Window for entering parameters and user preferences. (7) Battery Icon indication. (8) Recorded data can be accessed by Files. (9) Magnetic Heading can be adjusted with the slider. (10) Function to correct roll angle. However, when performing this function, the iPhone needs to be correctly placed horizontally. (11) Local time or UTC is selectable. (12) GPS Altimeter and Barometric Altimeter. (13) Roll indicator (Sky pointer or Ground pointer) is selectable. Note: Initial roll and pitch angle are calculated using the accelerometer at the time of alignment (same as real IRS). Therefore, if acceleration due to motion is applied during alignment, an angle error will occur. However, such initial angle error automatically decreases with time and disappears after a few minutes in case of level flight.

About

Virtual Dashboard

Create custom dashboards using your device's sensors to display speed, altitude, and more. Navigate with a map featuring route planning, points of interest, and breadcrumb tracking. Customize units, themes, and map views for a personalized experience.

Highlights
  • Customizable sensor gauges
  • Speedometer and odometer
  • GPS and barometric altimeter
  • Artificial horizon
  • Navigational map with overlays
  • Route planning and ETA
  • Points of interest search
Features
Read full description

Bring your iPhone and iPad's sensors to life on Virtual Dashboard. Arrange a variety of different gauges to create your own custom dashboards. You can choose from: ○ Speedometer (with peak hold) ○ Odometer (distance travelled, resettable) ○ GPS Altimeter (absolute altitude) ○ Barometric Altimeter (relative altitude) ○ Accelerometer (with peak hold) ○ Artificial Horizon (pitch and roll) ○ Compass (with magnetic heading and true track indicator) ○ Elapsed time (with average speed) Swipe to display a navigational map with resizable gauge overlays. You can select from road, bike, nautical chart, satellite, topographic, and survey (blank) modes.  The map shows your current coordinates, track, and heading, and drops breadcrumb markers as you travel. Tap to set a destination and the map displays your distance, bearing, direction to steer, and ETA to the destination. Search the map for points of interest or street addresses. Customize your units, map features, and gauge behavior. Select from one of the many available themes (theme requires in-app purchase). Connect your external MFI GPS device and see faster updates. We currently support the Bad Elf GPS units.

Screenshots

iBFDmonochrome1 screens
Virtual Dashboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iBFDmonochrome at none against Virtual Dashboard's 2. Virtual Dashboard's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 89%) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 11 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Virtual Dashboard sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. iBFDmonochrome asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for iBFDmonochrome against 4.5 for Virtual Dashboard. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 13 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of iBFDmonochrome's written reviews are positive against 100% of Virtual Dashboard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iBFDmonochrome ships an update every 11 months, Virtual Dashboard every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
iBFDmonochrome versus Virtual Dashboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriBFDmonochromeVirtual Dashboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (9 ratings)4.5 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings913 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTatsuo SaekiKevinnovate, LLC

Customer experience

iBFDmonochrome

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%

Virtual Dashboard

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

iBFDmonochrome

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Virtual Dashboard

One-time2
  • Donate for Development$0.99
  • Unlock All Themes$2.99

Questions

Is iBFDmonochrome free?
iBFDmonochrome is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Virtual Dashboard free?
Virtual Dashboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iBFDmonochrome or Virtual Dashboard?
Virtual Dashboard is rated higher. iBFDmonochrome averages 4.4 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Virtual Dashboard averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.
Do iBFDmonochrome or Virtual Dashboard have ads?
Neither iBFDmonochrome nor Virtual Dashboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iBFDmonochrome or Virtual Dashboard?
iBFDmonochrome ships an update every 11 months, and Virtual Dashboard every 5 months. Most recently, iBFDmonochrome was updated on October 20, 2026 and Virtual Dashboard on October 24, 2026.

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